Ne-wo York State DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Division of Lands and Forests The Great Divide Unit Management Plan March 2006 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation George E. Palaki, Governor Denise M. Sheehao, Commissioner The Great Divide Unit Management Plan February, 2006 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Committee members: Gretchen Cicora Bruce Penrod Mark Keister Linda Vera Joel Fiske Jim Bagley Mike Allen Bill Meehan Bill Glynn Brad Hammers Irene Brown PREFACE It is the policy ofthe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to manage state lands for multiple benefits to serve the people ofNew York State. This Unit Management Plan(UMP) is the first step in carrying out that policy. The plan has been developed to address management activities on this unit for the next 10 year period, with a review due in 5 years. Some management recommendations may extend beyond the 10 year period. Factors such as budget constraints, wood product markets, and forest health problems may necessitate deviations from the scheduled management activities. The Unit Management Planning Process New York State's management policy for public lands follow a multiple use concept established by New York's Environmental Conservation Law. This allows for diverse enjoyment ofstate lands by the people ofthe state. Multiple use management addresses all ofthe demands placed on these lands: watershed management, timber management, wildlife management, mineral resource management rare plant and community protection, recreational use, taxes paid, and aesthetic appreciation. In this plan, an initial resource inventory and other information is provided, followed by an assessment ofexisting and anticipated uses and demands. This information is used to set goals and management objectives. Management actions tables provide an estimated cost and timetable for accomplishing these objectives. Naming the "Great Divide" Unit Management Plan Once individual parcels are grouped together to form a geographic area ofNYS DEC lands for planning purposes, a name is chosen to reflect something these properties have in common. In this case they all sit on the edge of a great watershed divide. Water from Maple Hill State Forest, Catlin State Forest, and Cayuta Lake Fishing Access Site, flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Water from Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area and Texas Hollow State Forest flows into the St. Lawrence River, Ii Table ofContents PREFACE , Ii The Unit Management Planning Process , ,.......................... II Naming the "Great Divide" Unit Management Plan ,............................ .. II GREAT DIVIDE UNIT LOCAnON MAP , ,. INTRODUCTION , .. , ,.,....................... 2 History ofState Forests and Wildlife Management Areas ,.............. 2 History of Great Divide Unit Management Area ,.......................... 2 INFORMATION ON THE UNIT , ,............................. 4 Identification ,,, .. , , ,.......... .. 4 Geography ,, ,, ,...... .. 4 Climate ,........................... 5 Adjacent Land· Existing Uses ,,, ,............................................ 5 Taxes , ,........................ .. 6 Geology , , , 6 Surface Geology ,..................................................... .. 6 Bedrock Geology , .. ,.......................................... .. 7 Mineral Resources , , 9 Oil and Gas ,,..................................................... .. 9 Mining , , ,......................... II Vegetative Types and Stages ,................................................... .. 12 Fish, Wildlife and Habitat ,....................................... 13 Towers ,, , 14 Cooperative Agreements, Partnerships and Volunteers 14 Wetlands and Water Resources. .............................................................. .. 14 Significant Plants and Plant Communities ., , 15 Roads ,. 15 Recreation " , .. , ,., , , 16 Archaeological Resources ,,.................................. .. 17 Historic Sites ,.' , ,. 18 NEEDS, ISSUES AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS ,.............................. .. 19 Funding ,.,, ,........ .. 19 Summary ofidentified Issues ,........... 20 Access ,, 20 Vegetation Management ,...... 20 Water Resources ,......... .. 20 Wildlife And Wildlife Habitat ,.......... 20 Fish Management , " 20 Public Recreation and Use ,.,........................................... 2I Oil And Gas Leasing , ,........................... 21 Cooperative Agreements , ,.. 21 Open Space Conservation , ,,,,, 21 Aesthetics , ,. 21 Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation 22 Current Known Illegal Use , , ,., ,,, ,.,..... 22 Policy Considerations ,, .. , .. ,, ,., ,, .. ,., ' 22 State Laws ,., .. , , ,.,., ,.,., ,,, ,., ,. 22 Federal Law ,., ,',,, .. ,,, ,, .. ,...... 23 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ,,,, ,, .. ,., , ,...... 24 Vision ,,,, ,, .. ,, , .. ,....... 24 Access .',,,,, .. ,,.,, ,........... .. 24 Timber and Vegetation Management ,,,, ,., ,., 25 Watershed and Wetlands Protection ,, ,., , .. 28 Fish and Wildlife Habitat , ,., , ,........... 29 Public Recreation and Use ',,, ,.,.,.............. 30 Unit Maintenance and Facilities Management , ,,, ,....... 33 Land Acquisition ,,............ .. 34 Mineral Resources .. , , ,,, .. ,,,............. .. 35 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ,, , ," 40 Initial Mailing , , ,., ,....... 40 Second Mailing , ,,.......................... .. 40 Public Meeting , , ,, ,.' , .. ,.. 40 Final Notice ,,,, .. ,,, .. , .. , .. ,., ' .. ,. .. 40 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS SUMMARY ,., .. ,', 41 APPENDICES ,., ,, ,.,' .. , .. ,, ,........ 54 Appendix A: Animals on Great Divide Unit Management Plan Area. ,,,,,.'........... .. 54 Birds , ,'.,,,, .. 54 Reptiles and Amphibians .,.,,., ,,.,,., .. ,., .. ,.... .. 57 Resident Fish Species , ' ,........ .. 59 Observations from Specific Locations on the Great Divide Unit. ................................. .. 59 Appendix B: Public Comment ,.,......................................................... .. 69 Initial Mailing Responses ,, ,,.... .. 69 Public Meeting Responses , , ""....... 70 Mailed Responses after the Public Meeting , .. , .. , ,... .. 72 Appendix C: Taxes ,,,',, '. 74 Appendix D: Facilities , , 75 Appendix E: Timber Management .. ,......................................................... .. 77 Stands (with trees) Designated Protection Management , 77 Stands Designated Even Aged ,............................. 77 Stands Designated Uneven Aged ,, , ., 78 Stands Designated Plantation Management .,,,,,,,.',,..... .. 78 Stands Designated Open Land ,,,, ,, '....... .. 78 Stands Designated Seedling I Sapling , ', '.' ,.,...... 79 Appendix F: Water Resources ,,, ,' , '.............. 80 Appendix G: Maps "" ,,, , ,.... 82 Access I Location and Streams, Ponds and Wetlands " ,' .. , .. , .. ,., ,....... 82 Stand Designations , ,',,,,.'................. .. 86 Recommended Exclusions from Surface Occupancy for Oil and Gas Extraction ".,........ 89 Gas Well and Gravel Mine Locations ,., , "" .. , .. ," ,'......... 9I SoiIM~ , , .. ,"" 93 Appendix H: Wildlife Harvest ,,, .. ,.,..... 96 Calculated Legal Deer Take in the Towns within the Great Divide Unit Management Plan Area (I 999 - 2003) ................................................................................... 96 Appendix I: Bedrock Cross Section 97 Appendix J: SEQR , ,, , , 98 Appendix K: Soils ,................................................ .. 102 GLOSSARY , ', 105 v List ofTables Acreage of State Land 4 Towns ofthe Great Divide Unit 5 Schuyler Co. Land Use and Cover: Towns ofDix, Catharine, and Hector; Villages of Watkins Glen and Montour Falls ........................................................................................... 5 Chemung County Land Use and Cover: Towns of Catlin and Chemung 5 Surficial Geologic Material 7 Vegetative Types and Stages for Maple Hill, Catlin, and Texas Hollow State Forests. ....................... .. 13 Vegetative Types and Stages for Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area and Cayuta Lake Fishing Access Site . 13 Management Objectives and Actions for Access. .................................................... .. 24 Management Objectives and Actions for Vegetation 27 Management Objectives and Actions for Watershed and Wetlands 28 Management Objectives and Actions for Fish and Wildlife and Habitat. .................................. .. 29 Management Objectives and Actions for Recreation. ................................................. .. 32 Management Objectives and Actions for Maintenance and Facilities. .................................... .. 33 Management Objectives and Actions for Land Acquisition 34 Management Objectives and Actions for Archaeological and Historical Sites .............................. .. 39 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS SUMMARY " ,,,, 41 Appendix A: Animals on Great Divide Unit. ....................................................... .. 54 Appendix D: Facilities 75 Appendix E: Timber Management 77 Appendix H: Wildlife Harvest 96 VI Great Divide Unit Management Plan Area Texas Hollow State Forest in the Towns of Hector and Catharine Cayuta Lake Fishing Access Site in the Town of Catharine Catherine Creek Wildlife Management Area in the Towns of Montour and Dix in Schuyler County, and Maple Hill State Forest in the Town of Chemung, Catlin State Forest in the Town of Catlin in Chemung Co. New York SCHUYLE Texas Hollow State Forest COUNTY Catharine Creek Wildlife I~ Management Area ". ~ ..--~ .~ -~_::-:7:.~~)...:' :.... .~ '- CHEMUNG COUNTY o County Boundary fo New rk State • Great Divide Unit M nagem_.....P:..;I....."" Other DEC Lands N - Region 7 Lands ~l~, Six Nation Unit